Day: November 4, 2017

#AMLE2017 Pre-Conference thoughts

Posted on by Sweat to Inspire

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I leave tomorrow for Philadelphia. I am excited to be presenting at the AMLE annual conference in front of incredible educators from all over the world. I wonder if there will be enough time in the two days that I am at the conference to do everything I desire. I want to attend ALL the sessions, connect with everyone and learn new things. I have to contain myself and remember a few guiding principals.

  1. Slow down– Don’t rush from moment to moment but just live in the moment. It will be over way to fast if you rush. Make all connections meaningful. Learn in the moment and don’t worry about the getting to the next moment.
  2. Talk to teachers– The conference will be full of incredible experts, authors and leaders. I enjoy connecting with all of them, but to hear about practical classroom practice, I need to connect with classroom educators. I need to make time in my busy schedule to make sure I sit in a few session with current classroom teachers. They know what works and the ins and outs of practice best, especially if they are presenting at a national conference.
  3. Say Hi– As I go through the conference I need to look for the attendees who seem to be by themselves. (Like me) I need to slow down say high and spark a conversation. During past conferences this is how I have meet some incredible people. Nobody wants to be alone, so I need to find my tribe. I also can’t assume people will recognize me from twitter. I am not a handle but a person.
  4. Follow twitter– This will allow me to not miss incredible stuff going on. I can see the retweets and interactions. If it was worth hearing, it will show up on the #AMLE2017 twitter feed. After I return home Tuesday night I will search the feed to continue learning.
  5. Use the APP– AMLE has invested money in creating a handy app. In the all presenters can upload all their resources. So even if you can’t make a session you can still find resources to use and help you grow. The APP has all the contact information you need to follow up with presenters and gives you a space to take notes.
  6. Have FUN– If learning isn’t fun it won’t be meaningful. I need to not stress about my sessions or who I connect with (I hope all of you!!) but enjoy the moment and the opportunity the conference provides.

See you all in Philly! Please stop me and Say HI if I don’t first!